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Renaut Withdraws to Support McFall

Gilbert Renaut made the following statement on the steps of City Hall on September 11th at 1 pm:

Statement of Gilbert Renaut, Democratic candidate for Mayor of Annapolis

First I want to thank my supporters and volunteers, who have been pleasure to work with and indispensible to my successes. Second I want to thank the voters who welcomed me when I knocked on their doors and even called me when I missed them when I knocked. Third, I want to thank the other candidates, who have not been merely civil and polite, but downright friendly.

In 2005, in a three-way race, I challenged an incumbent mayor who had full party support and who outspent me ten-to-one. I turned down developer contributions that would have doubled my budget. I lost by fewer than 800 votes. I beat the Republican nominee by more than two-to-one.

I entered the 2009 race in the firm belief that I was the best candidate to heal the wounds from the current administration and bring us all back together as citizens in a common effort to make Annapolis what it should be. I haven’t changed my mind. Moreover, I do believe in the saying attributed to Winston Churchill: “Never give in. Never, never, never, never.”

With turnout traditionally low in City primaries, and so many Democrats in the running, it is probably impossible to get poll results outside the margin of error. Nevertheless, I have to make the best of the information that is available, and it suggests that there are at least two candidates with a considerable number of votes to win this race, and it’s a close race.

As I have said before, this is not an ego trip for me — my concern is what’s best for the City of Annapolis and to ensure that our City gets the best Mayor possible. For these reasons, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy from the mayoral race and throw my support to the candidacy of Trudy McFall.

It is times like this that we must stick together and embrace our shared visions so that Annapolis can get the Mayor who, in my eyes, will work hard for Annapolitans. And that person is Trudy McFall

Trudy McFall is the one candidate who has the experience in managing a large government agency. Trudy McFall also has the experience in starting and running a business. Trudy McFall understands the importance of local small business. Trudy McFall is also sensible about the dangers of over-development and out-of-scale building. And, Trudy McFall is in favor of the council-manager proposal, which I believe is crucial for the future success of Annapolis. Thus, Trudy McFall is a candidate who I strongly believe will break from the past and bring real change and reform to City Hall.

I am confident that Trudy McFall will bring outreach, transparency, and policy to the mayor’s office to make Annapolis the best city that it can be.

I will vote enthusiastically for Trudy McFall as Mayor of Annapolis and urge my supporters to vote for Trudy McFall as well.